In December Isabelle and Erik went to visit the Oratory del Gonfalone and the nativity scenes in Fabriano. If you remember well, we talked about it in a post and we revealed that it was nothing but an ordinary visit! They unexpectedly got a tour of very special places in the paper city and finally ended up at a completely unknown museum (to us, at least): Museo Guelfo.
A museum with the works of polyvalent artist Guelfo and his friends. Already at the entrance, Isabelle and Erik got a very warm welcome and, again, received a whole explanation and tour. Entering a stylish and tastefully decorated room, they discovered that Guelfo was not only a painter, but also a bronze and glass sculptor .
A versatile artist, not only in terms of material, but also in terms of color: he regularly alternated bright shades with matte shades.
Born in Fabriano in 1937, Gaetano Ulisse Bianchini chose Guelfo as his stage name. Probably because he was very religious. After all, the Guelfi were the pope supporters in the Middle Ages.
Through wanderings in Paris, among others, he eventually ended up in Rome where he died at the age of 60. During his life he regularly returned to his hometown, if only to deliver part of his artwork to his sister. Sometimes he even transported his art treasures with his Piaggio Ape (three-wheeled light commercial vehicle) from the station to the center of Fabriano.
At his death he left behind numerous works, which were taken care of by his sister Marisa Bianchini. In 2015, the Guelfo Fund was established to set up this museum in 2018. She herself died in 2021. The Fund now manages the entire collection, of which only a part is on display.
The biggest surprise was the 2nd room, the collection of his friends’ works of art. These turned out to be not the least of artists: Dalì, Magritte, Manet, … you name it. Either he got himselft a portrait or occasionally bought something from art collectors from all over the world. Apparently he even received a portrait from our fellow citizen Bartolini. Who would have thought to find such precious works in Fabriano?
You can visit the museum for free from Tuesday to Saturday from 3-7 pm and Saturday mornings between 9 am and 1 pm. Or else give it a call to the Tourist Office of Fabriano.
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